Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: A sad and expensive lesson of power

It was bound to happen. The resignation of Lesley Longstone, Secretary for the Ministry of Education.

She had been in the job only 12 months. I heard her speak last year on two occasions in Wellington. At one meeting she talked about New Zealand's education system. It wasn't world class.

We do some things well but a world-class education system doesn't leave anyone behind. She singled out the poor educational achievements of Maori and Pacific Island children.

She said this would not be happening in a world-class education system. I looked at the other three government department CEOs who were present at that meeting. By the looks they shot at each other, you just knew they could tell what was in store for Ms Longstone.

Perhaps senior Government officials do things differently in Britain. They say what they mean and mean what they say, irrespective of the fragile egos of their ministers. Here, as anyone who has ever worked at a certain level in our public service knows, you never embarrass your minister. They do that well enough on their own.

Ms Longstone asked everyone who had anything to do with education to review their results. What were they currently doing, how well were they doing it and had their efforts made a difference? She had started making the necessary changes within the ministry to move us towards the audacious goal of having a world-class education system.

Surely this aligned with one of the Government's long-term strategies for lifting New Zealand out of economic doldrums. Now she's gone. With a payout of $425,475. She should have negotiated more and why can't we know exactly why she left?

We won't, of course, because in all such exit settlements, the parties agree to keep the terms confidential. There'll be no sharing of those details with the public. But why not? It cost the ministry, us as taxpayers, a considerable amount to bring Ms Longstone to New Zealand. She came highly recommended and headed off other experienced educationists from within New Zealand and overseas to take the top job at the ministry.

She should have negotiated two years salary as part of her exit package. She was only at the start of the second year of a five-year contract. It will be at least 12 months before she picks up another suitable senior education appointment. And even if she doesn't want to find something straight away, down-time costs money too.

She was hired for her expertise. Now our Prime Minister should review the actions of his Minister of Education. What was her role in jettisoning this capable CEO who dared to say 'New Zealand has a good education system, but it's not a great one'? Now the ministry has to start the process all over again to find another secretary.

The dollars keep adding up.

Rumours abound: The Minister of Education Hekia Parata is not easy to get along with; she knows everything and likes to get her own way; how she talks to ministry staff is raising eyebrows and apparently nothing they do will satisfy her.

She wants it her way or you take the highway and she has proved she'll shoot the messenger if she doesn't like the message.

It is also rumoured other senior ministry staff are planing to leave. You never know how much is true, but there is usually some element of truth to rumours. I wish Ms Longstone well and regret her departure from New Zealand. I, too, want our country to work towards a world-class education system.

Being a government minister is not an easy job, even with a small ministry, but the Ministry of Education, along with Health and Social Welfare, is one of the three biggies. It requires exceptional talent to lead one of these.

Paula Bennett, Minister of Social Welfare, has pushed through benefit reforms without losing her reputation and grasp on the work needed to achieve these. She came from the back bench to a Cabinet position and has performed well. She is known for being a hard worker.

Minister of Health Tony Ryall is extraordinary. He's got years of experience under his belt and I get the feeling he could do the job with his eyes closed. Hekia Parata was promoted from the back bench. She should have been told, a minister is only as good as the officials who advise them. Hers are loyal, trustworthy and experienced.

They deserve their minister's respect. From afar I suspect Ms Longstone will say "I told you so" within three months.